SNA-4606-1, a new member of elaiophylins with enzyme inhibition activity against testosterone 5 alpha-reductase.

In the course of our screening program for testosterone 5a-reductase inhibitors, we have isolated a new member of elaiophylins1 ~ 3) enzyme inhibitor from cultured broth of Streptomyces sp. SNA-4606 (FERM P-12912). This report is concerned with the isolation, structure and biological properties of a novel enzyme inhibitor. The microorganism was isolated from a soil sample collected in Towada-shi, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The taxonomic studies indicated that it belonged to the genus Streptomyces. A loop of the producing strain SNA-4606 from a slant culture was inoculated into a 500-ml volume Erlenmeyer flask containing 70 ml of mediumcomposed of glucose 2%, soluble starch 1%, meat extract 0.1%,